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What are the pros and cons of buying a 2 Bedroom Marriott resale without a lock-off vs one with a lockoff?
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Fewer options, IMO.
We own two intervals at a non-lockoff resort (NCV) and I see the differences, but like where we own. No issues getting bonus weeks from SFX and II, so that mitigates the disadvantage somewhat (at a cost).
I've only stayed in one lockoff (at Shadow Ridge) and, personally, I'd rather stay in a hotel (most Marriott's I've stayed at were far better than that room).
We usually travel with friends or family so having a 2BR is required anyway.
Pat -
I've not commented as I'm not an expert on Marriott, but I believe the lock-off gives you more flexibility, but I think it may cost an extra fee if you split it up (which is not often the case with other lock-offs).Comment
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Having a lock-off allows you to have 2 weeks vacation with one MF - Marriott does charge a $75 lock-off fee
...and many platinum weeks will also get 'bonus week' or accomodation certificate to add a third week of vacation for $199-299.
See post 4 on this thread http://www.timeshareforums.com/forum...ad.php?t=17699
I have just sold to non-lock=off weeks and will purchase an additional 2BR lock-off to maximize myownership.
All this doesn't apply if you have a family of more than 4 that you travel with...except to say when I started TSing when my kids were home and now it is usually just the 2 of us traveling making the lock-off component more attractive.
......more later!Comment
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I think lock-offs are great. If you search II, you can find some great 2 bdrms, using the 1 bdrm portion of your lock-off. Even your studio portion will pull some great deals. Especially if you can travel during flexchange.
Also, you can rent your studio portion, if you are not using it. Then you can put that money toward your MF........
Angela
If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.
BTW, I'm still keeping track of how many times you annoy me.
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On the other hand
This makes 2 bedroom units less available in Interval International since owners at resorts with lock off units like to lock off their units prior to depositing.
This is a weakness in a weeks exchange system vs. a point system.Comment
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Perhaps Marriott will solve some of those issues when going to points in the future, leveling the field so to speak. IMO, a lot of savvy timeshare owners own lockoffs to trade up, more so than for the "extra" week of vacation, under the current system. If different unit sizes are assigned different points, that will end, all else being equal (like location/season).
It'll be interesting to see if the strategy of locking off, renting the studio to cover MF's, depositing the master for an AC (and trading that up too) and then trading into a 2BR will still work then.
I'll be very curious to know how many weeks migrate from II to Marriott when they go internal and, more importantly, where the developer banks end up. Exciting times to be a Marriott owner
PatComment
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Pat,
It's true, things will most likely change when Marriott implements their new system.
At the moment, the lock-off is without question a great deal, IMO.
It will be interesting to see the outcome of these changes.Angela
If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.
BTW, I'm still keeping track of how many times you annoy me.
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The salesman we met with at MOC last week said this wouldn't happen for another 7 to 10 years. Anyone heard different?Comment
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I read that it would take approximately 3 or so years for the changes to be implemented.Originally posted by Avery View PostAngela
If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.
BTW, I'm still keeping track of how many times you annoy me.
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IMO, the changes will come as fast as Marriott sees the profit in them.
With the real estate market slowing, I expect timeshare sales to slow as well (at the developer level) and Marriott will be looking for new cows to milk. Offering a points program to Asians (the new target market) is one obvious step in that direction. Cutting back on their subsidy to II is another. Taking things in-house is another, as our reservations already show up in their hotel system anyway. I wonder how they'll handle surrender points as MRP's devalue and MF's increase.
Lots of things to think about
PatComment
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Dave M also mentioned in one of his posts that it will take the Marriott years to implement this internal reservation system. Why mention this change at all because it is making some people nervous or worried about it. Someone leaked this information obviously too soon.Originally posted by Avery View Post
What we can be sure of is that it is not going to save us any money because the Marriott will think of another fee yet to add to all the other fees they are charging already. I would hate it even more if they make it mandatory to have to belong to II like some of the other developers do now as they charge you in your maintenance fees.
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Because knowledge is power?Originally posted by iconnections
I had an instinct that MVCI would go internal back when I first learned about exchanging after buying at NCV. After all, they have a very well established hotel reservation system in place, which all our Marriott intervals are in, once reserved, and also run a points system for hotel stayers. So, it was like obvious
Perhaps MAR had some agreement with II, upon divesting their ownership interest in it, to not "compete" for a certain period of time. Who knows?
An example in the regular Marriott world is our hotel in Sydney, which "creeped" up a points category this year on Feb. 1. If I hadn't been making rolling reservations each week as they became available, I would have never known and our existing hotel cert, ordered as part of a travel package, would have suddenly become inadequate.
Always trust your instincts
PatComment
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Pat, when we bought at the MDSV-I in the 90s, the salesman told us already that the Marriott was going to have an internal exchange system but it never materialized. We went on many presentations later but it was never mentioned again.Originally posted by camachinist View PostI had an instinct that MVCI would go internal back when I first learned about exchanging after buying at NCV. After all, they have a very well established hotel reservation system in place, which all our Marriott intervals are in, once reserved, and also run a points system for hotel stayers. So, it was like obvious
I also remember him telling us about II but we didn't want to belong to it but it came with the purchase and we stayed a member all these years. It was our plan to use the condo and put it towards the MRPs every other year. However, when we bought more timeshares over the years, we found out that we didn't have enough vacation so we started to rent this week out several years on a row when it was still easy to get the requested week for the renters. You can't try that now. You have to reserve a week at least one year ahead and then hope to rent it for that week.
We stopped trying to rent and finally did a few exchanges and they were all very good. One was to the WM at Gleneden in OR and to the Waiohai in Kauai and once to your resort in Newport Beach too. Your resort is very nice and in a beautiful area but too far from the beach for us but for people, who want to do a lot of sight-seeing, it shouldn't matter too much as they will be busy most of the day and still not see it all in one single week.
Only after my DH retired, did we start using this timeshare condo ourselves because we love the desert and it is an easy drive from home. However, it has been easier to make wonderful exchanges than making reservations for ourselves in March which is our season but is very hard to do!
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As I wasn't involved in timesharing in the 1990's, I wonder if Marriott's dance with II was going on back then, as in when Marriott and a number of other hotel chains had partial ownerships. Maybe that was where the rumours came from.
Just as with the development of NCV, when the numbers were right for Marriott in their dealings with Disney, Orange County and Irvine Ranch, such I'm sure it will be for their mini-system. Marriott is nothing if not thorough and very pragmatic
PatComment
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